This was a moist pudding packed with fruit and whole nuts. It smells nicely of cognac without being overpowering and has a crumbly texture. The pud was easy to cook either in the microwave, on the hob or by steaming and came out a rich, dark colour studded with glistening cherries, orange and lemon peel. Delicious with cream.

4/5

Marks & Spencer luxury pudding (1.2kg), £12.99

Plump, dark and intensely rich this luxury, fruit-packed pud was laden with booze and deliciously moist. We loved the melt-in-the-mouth glace cherries and sumptuous vine fruits. Laced with a rather generous helping of brandy, rum and port this pudding will warm the cockles of your heart and leave you glowing inside. Not cheap – but definitely on the money.

You need to hold back on the brandy butter with this pudding if you like a subtle taste of Cognac. It’s plump with fruit and wonderfully moist. Children might find the alcohol a little overpowering but for adults this was a pudding worth spending that extra pound or two. The almonds and pecans were a little large, but it was still near perfect.

4/5

Tesco Finest Christmas pudding 907g, £5 (reduced from £10)

I didn’t add the brandy butter to this as the packaging made it clear it was already suffused with Courvoisier VS Cognac and, upon cooking, your nose certainly tells you that this is the case.

It’s certainly a good pud for brandy fans, then, but I didn’t feel it was nearly as fruity as it could have been.

3/5

Aldi Christmas pudding 750g, £4.99

As soon as you pierce the plastic film on the pudding bowl after you have cooked it the aroma of brandy permeates the air. The pudding itself was rich and moist, bursting with plump raisins, sultanas, cherries and nuts. Serve with cream or white sauce for a fitting end to your festive feast.

4/5

Asda six month matured luxury Christmas pudding 1.2kg, £10.98

Laced with sherry and cognac besides the more traditional ingredients (which include vine fruits, glace cherries, walnuts and almonds), it’s no surprise that this is a very moist pud. Plenty of fruity taste, although dominated by alcohol, and reasonably light in texture – but don’t forget that not everyone, especially children, likes boozy puds.